iffin, only
in time to hear of the disaster at Trenton. He immediately began a
retreat in the utmost panic and confusion, calling in his guards and
parties as he hurried forward. The troops in the neighborhood of
Burlington had decamped precipitately the preceding evening.

Colonel Reed sent back intelligence of this to Cadwalader, and still
pushed on with his companions. Arrived at Bordentown not an enemy was
to be seen; the fugitives from Trenton had spread a panic on the 26th,
and the Hessians and their refugee adherents had fled in confusion,
leaving their sick behind them. One of Reed's companions returned to
Cadwalader, who had halted at Burlington, and advised him to proceed.
Cadwalader wrote in the night to Washington, informing him of his
whereabouts, and that he should march for Bordentown in the morning.
"If you should think proper to cross over," added he, "it may easily
be effected at the place where we passed; a pursuit would keep up the
panic. They went off with great precipitation, and pressed all the
wagons in their reach; I am told many of them are gone to South
Amboy."

Washington needed no prompting of the kind. Bent upon following up his
blow, he had barely allowed his troops a day or two to recover from
recent exposure and fatigue, that they might have strength and spirit
to pursue the retreating enemy, beat up other of their quarters, and
entirely reverse affairs in the Jerseys. In this spirit he had written
to Generals McDougall and Maxwell at Morristown, to collect as large a
body of militia as possible, and harass the enemy in flank and rear.
Men of influence also were despatched by him into different parts of
the Jerseys, to spirit up the militia to revenge the oppression, the
ravage, and insults they had experienced from the enemy, especially
from the Hessians.

On the 29th, his troops began to cross the river. It would be a slow
and difficult operation, owing to the ice; two parties of light troops
therefore were detached in advance, whom Colonel Reed was to send in
pursuit of the enemy. They marched into Trenton about two o'clock, and
were immediately put on the traces of Donop, to hang on his rear and
harass him until other troops should come up. Cadwalader also detached
a party of riflemen from Bordentown with like orders. Donop, in
retreating, had divided his force, sending one part by a cross road to
Princeton, and hurrying on with the remainder to Brunswick. While this
was going on